A special White Rock council meeting called to address the controversy over the city's decision to privatize multifamily solid-waste pickup lasted less than four minutes Tuesday, much to the chagrin of a dozen residents in attendance.
The meeting, requested last month by Couns. Helen Fathers and David Chesney, was almost immediately adjourned, as Mayor Wayne Baldwin asserted at a public-information meeting last week.
As soon as the topic of solid-waste collection was addressed, Coun. Grant Meyer put forth a motion to adjourn the meeting until all councillors would be present, noting Couns. Lynne Sinclair and Megan Knight were out of town until later in the week.
"Given this topic has such public interest, I think it would be preferable and beneficial to have as many council members present as possible," Meyer said. "If we wait three days, we can receive the information together as a group and move forward."
Meyer's motion – to adjourn the special meeting until April 10 – was supported by Coun. Bill Lawrence and Baldwin, however, Fathers and Chesney opposed the motion.
"I feel we have a quorum present at the time being and we could have discussions and move forward," Fathers said. "So I'm not going to support the motion that's on the floor."
After the motion passed and the meeting was adjourned, a handful of residents in attendance stood and shouted their disapproval at the mayor, in the presence of a CBC News crew.
While Meyer, Fathers and city staff left council chambers, Chesney watched as Baldwin and Lawrence stayed behind for more than 20 minutes to hear to the attendees' concerns, many of which were echoed sentiments from last week's public-information meeting.
The followup special council meeting is set to take place Friday (April 10) at 1 p.m. in council chambers. It will also be live streamed on the city's website at www.whiterockcity.ca